Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United Prediction: Class should tell in the end at Wigan

| January 07 |

3 mins read

The FA Cup looks like Manchester United's last chance of silverware this season, and the fourth favourites to win the competition can overcome a potentially tricky-looking tie against Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium.

United are on a miserable run of form, though, so it is difficult to see them running away with things against the League One outfit, who won the competition against all the odds in 2013.

Wigan Athletic vs Manchester United Betting Tips

Manchester United win & under 3.5 goals @ 19/20
Alejandro Garnacho first goalscorer @ 4/1

Team news
Tom Pearce and Jason Kerr will miss out through injury, while Stephen Humphrys and Scott Smith are major doubts for the home side.

James Balagizi is unavailable after his loan spell from Liverpool came to an end this week.

Andre Onana will play his final match for United before leaving to represent Cameroon in the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations. Sofyan Amrabat has already departed to join up with the Morocco squad in the Ivory Coast.

Erik ten Hag will be without Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez, Mason Mount, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Casemiro and Anthony Martial but all are reported to be close to making their returns.

Rasmus Hojlund looks to have recovered from a recent illness and should feature at the DW Stadium.

Match odds

Wigan have won six of their last nine home games but it will take something special to improve that statistic and a home win is a 12/1 shot on Monday. United are 2/9 to avoid another embarrassment this season, and it's 5/1 that the tie goes to a replay at Old Trafford.

Manchester United & under 3.5 goals @ 19/20

Much has been made of Manchester United's recent struggles, and rightly so. The Red Devils are eighth in the Premier League and have won just two of their last nine matches in all competitions.

United's last remaining hope of silverware this season is the FA Cup and they are likely to take this third-round clash with Wigan seriously as they look to avoid another embarrassment in a season already loaded with miserable moments.

Erik ten Hag can ill-afford another demoralising loss so plenty of his big names can be expected to line up at kick-off on Monday evening.

However, with confidence at a low ebb it is hard to see United running amok so a more moderate margin of victory can be expected for the 12-time cup winners.

United's last away trip resulted in a 2-1 defeat at Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest and that goal was their only strike in their last four away matches.

Wigan will look to stay in the tie for as long as possible and they have shown a stubborn side in League One this season.

The Latics have kept clean sheets in four of their last five fixtures on home soil and they have won six of their last nine matches at the DW Stadium.

Eight of the League One side's last ten matches have featured under 2.5 goals, while United have won nine of their last ten meetings with Wigan without conceding. A low-scoring Red Devils victory looks a likely outcome.

Alejandro Garnacho to score first @ 4/1

One bright spot for Manchester United this season has been the performances of young forward Alejandro Garnacho.

The 19-year-old winger has bagged five goals this season, including a recent brace against Aston Villa, and he looks a value bet to open the scoring at the DW Stadium.